Homebirth General Discussion #20

[Dot Face]

Oh Tegam I'm so sorry that sounds horrible and it makes me SO EXTREMELY angry at the stupid staff who broke your waters and forgot your allergy and used latex gloves! I would love to say that I would punch them if I saw them but unfortunately I'm not that brave. I will just imagine punching them instead (perhaps it's time to make a few voodoo dolls).

Hotl thank you, I wouldn't want to write to them because I have this sick feeling they'll just brush it off and make excuses for themselves and make me feel inferior for even voicing my concerns. However the midwife who attended my birth was absolutely fantastic (she had to leave before I actually gave birth though as her shift finished) so I might call in and ask to see her sometime soon. I think I really need to go over what happened so I can have some closure.

Thanks a lot everyone and again it sucks that you guys also had cruddy experiences at some point. *hugs*

[meow]

Oh Dot Face I'm so, so sorry you are facing this I think you have had some lovely words of encouragement already and I'm also so sorry to all the other women who have suffered birth trauma.

Tegam it breaks my heart to read about your experience too. Please don't say this is your fault. Abuse is NEVER the fault of the abused. It is up to the people working in these god damned hospitals to pick up their game and stop treating women like this!

Can I just say how very much I appreciate this thread and all of you wonderful women at the moment! It is such a blessing to be able to come in here and share our experiences and ask for help and to receive thoughtful, kind responses xx

AFM I have bitten the bullet and sent out some feeler emails to a few MWs this morning. Still also preparing for a conversation with my MW at my appointment in a week but I'll feel better to start exploring my options and know I have access to other MWs who are still available at my due date so I don't feel trapped if it comes to that. We're going camping this weekend (in a tent cabin so still a mattress on a bed frame thankfully!) so it'll be a lovely chance to get offline for a bit in nature and enjoy my family

[nyigi]

Hugs to everyone who's had such awful experiences.
Yes DotFace, I'd already realised that there was a difference there. That's why I thought it might not be relevant.
I've just often wondered about my transfer and in the end the only way I could let go of some of the things that happened or the way they were dealt with was to see that at each step of the way everyone had been trying to do the best they could and there was no intention of harm.

Of course no one should be treated in the ways many of you have described and I've certainly seen some horrible things in the hospital system and the medical system more generally. Sometimes I think the system encourages nurses and doctors (who I'm sure all start out with the best intentions) to just stop seeing 'patients' as 'people'.

I see very little reason for birth to be included in the general medical system. No one is sick and nothing is wrong and things just seem to go down hill when someone comes in with the thinking that there is a patient with a problem that needs solving as quickly as possible.

(Really wish I could join you guys and birth this baby at home. I think it's fantastic what you are all doing, especially in Aus where homebirth doesn't yet seem to be so well accepted. Best wishes to you all)